EML Bachelor Degrees: Spanish
The Spanish B.A.
Study in Your Language
¿Alguna vez te has preguntado cómo sería estudiar en tu lengua? El programa de español te da esa oportunidad. CPP está ubicada en una región altamente hispana, en la cual 40% de la población tiene el español como primera lengua. El programa, diseñado para hablantes de herencia, está dividido entre clases de lengua, de escritura, de...
The Spanish Major
The BA in Spanish is a pre-professional degree that prepares you to enter teaching credential programs, become a translator or interpreter, enter professional programs in areas such as law and speech therapy, enter academic graduate programs, and seek entry-level jobs in the commercial and non-profit sectors. It equips you with the executive skills and tools (writing, research, persuasion, and the ability to work in bilingual professional contexts) that employers in our region seek. We have a strong record of placing graduates in teaching credential programs at CPP and elsewhere, as well as a strong record placing graduates in Spanish M.A. and Ph.D. programs at campuses of the UC system and other prestigious institutions. Our graduates are well prepared to pursue work opportunities internationally, in transnational companies in the US, or in the bilingual professional environments that characterize Southern California.
The course of study includes:
- 9 required courses
- 8 electives
- 10 GE courses (the Spanish BA coursework covers GE areas 3B and 3C)
- 7-10 unrestricted electives
It is flexible enough for you to add a minor, such as our new Spanish Media minor, a minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, or any other minor across the university.
Spanish curriculum for 2025-2026
If you are on a different curriculum year, please select the correct year from the dropdown in the CPP Catalog.
Marta Albalá Pelegrín
Associate Professor. A native of Zaragoza, Spain, Dr. Albalá Pelegrín holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Literatures and Languages from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY). She specializes in 16th and 17th century Spanish Iberian Literature, and in Early Modern Theater.
Isabel Bustamante-López
Professor. A native of Santiago, Chile, Dr. Bustamante-López holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in Romance Linguistics from the University of Michigan. Specializing in Spanish Linguistics, she focuses on languages in contact, bilingualism and identity.
Kent Dickson
Professor and EML department chair. A native of Seattle, Washington, Dr. Dickson holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from UCLA. He specializes in Latin American literature of the 19th-21st centuries, particularly Perú and México.
Amàlia Llombart
Professor. Modern Languages Coordinator and Spanish Single Subject Advisor. A native of Barcelona, Spain, Dr. Llombart holds a Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from the University of California, Santa Barbara.Her research areas include syntax, applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and heritage language teaching. Her current research focuses on the development of literacy in Spanish heritage language learners.
Natalia Lyon
Lecturer. A native of Russia, she holds an M.A. in Spanish from Cal State Fullerton. She specializes in Spanish language.
Oscar Romero
Lecturer. A native of Southern California, he holds a Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from U.C. Berkely. He specializes in Latin American and Chicano literature and culture, and Spanish language. He is pictured here at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
Claudia Salazar Jiménez
Assistant Professor. Dr. Salazar Jiménez was born in Lima, Perú, and studied Literature at the National University of San Marcos before earning a Ph.D. in Literature from NYU. Her first novel, Blood of the Dawn, was awarded the Americas Prize of Hispanoamerican Narrative in 2014. She teaches Latin American literature and creative writing, and specializes in women's and gender studies, visual cultures, performance studies, Andean studies, and the politics of memory.
Mercedes Vargas
Lecturer. A native of Mexico, she holds an M.A. in Spanish from Cal State Fullerton. She specializes in Spanish language.
Esther Vogel
Lecturer. A native of Honduras, she holds an M.A. in Spanish from Cal State L.A., and specializes in Spanish linguistics and language teaching.
A period spent immersed in the language and culture of another place can be a transformative experience. Linguistically, it can lead to rapid improvements in proficiency. Intellectually, it is almost certain to transform the way a student views the world. Personally, it can be a journey that leads one to a more mature and responsible outlook. Study abroad experiences contribute to producing globally-aware, curious, empathetic, citizens of the world.
Two types of programs are available. Those interested in less than a full year can work with the Cal Poly Pomona International Center. Those considering a full year of study abroad (the gold standard) should work with the CSU office of International Programs.
Financial aid does apply to programs run through the both these offices and a study abroad experience can be surprisingly accessible.
We encourage all our majors to consider spending time abroad. All CSU International Programs classes are transferred automatically. For students who have gone on other programs, we will work with you to make sure your classes transfer and are counted toward your major.
Many of our students fall somewhere along the heritage speaker continuum. If this is your situation, the Spanish B.A. provides you with many advantages:
- Professional advantages: put you on the path to a teaching credential or professional school; help you become medical or legal interpreter; prepare you to work in professional bilingual settings such as companies or non-profits serving Spanish speakers.
- Leadership in your community: it can give you a platform for engagement with the Spanish-speaking Latino community of the Inland Empire, becoming an educated leader in your community.
- Intellectual interest: it gives you a solid grounding in the Spanish language, Hispanic literature, Hispanic linguistics, and Hispanic culture.
- Personal advantages: through this program you will forge a deeper connection with your culture.
Mastering formal registers and written conventions is an integral part of language study. Heritage learners are often motivated by the desire to move with greater ease and confidence in professional or formal settings in Spanish, in both speaking and writing. Our classes are designed to increase your bilingual range and literacy.
Our philosophy is non-prescriptive: we seek to validate and value what you know no matter what variant you speak, including Southern California Spanish. In our linguistics courses we stress the importance of questioning and critiquing the notion of 'correct' usage, even as we recognize that you'll need certain standards of 'correctness' to engage in professional-level conversations and written exchanges, and be accepted in those contexts.To become a credentialed high school or middle school Spanish teacher, students must first complete a Single Subject Teacher Preparation Program (commonly known as a Teaching Credential program) after earning their bachelor's degree. These programs are typically offered through university schools of education, such as the College of Education at Cal Poly Pomona, and can usually be completed in approximately one and a half years of study beyond the B.A.
To earn your Single Subject Credential, you must demonstrate subject matter competence in Spanish. If you have a B.A. in Spanish, you are automatically considered subject matter competent, and you will not need to take the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET). The Spanish B.A. program at Cal Poly Pomona is particularly strong in preparing prospective Spanish teachers, offering:
- Courses in grammar and phonetics: These courses help students develop a deep understanding of the structure of the Spanish language, ensuring that they are not only proficient in speaking and writing but also capable of teaching the language effectively. Students learn to explain the underlying rules and concepts of Spanish, enhancing their ability to teach the curriculum.
- Courses in cultural and literary studies: These courses enable prospective teachers to design engaging and culturally relevant lessons that promote cross-cultural understanding and appreciation. Teachers are prepared to create a rich curriculum that reflects the diversity of Spanish-speaking countries and cultures.
- Courses in applied linguistics: In these courses, prospective teachers learn how languages are acquired and the methods used in language instruction. Additionally, they gain insights into bilingualism and bilingual practices, which is particularly important for understanding the sociolinguistic background of many students in Southern California.
Admission is a two-step process: university admission and program admission. Please visit the following site to learn about the application requirements:
Single Subject Teaching Credential Program - Program Application
In addition, every semester there is at least one information session about the Spanish teaching credential program. Make sure you attend before your senior year, so that you have time to prepare.
For more information about the Single Subject Teaching Credential Program contact Dr. Amàlia Llombart (allombart@cpp.edu).
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